Chrysanthemum named Wolverine

ABSTRACT

A distinct chrysanthemum cultivar suitable for both year around greenhouse pot culture and for outdoor garden use as a natural season flowering plant, characterized by its single flower form with two or three rows of burnt orange ray florets surrounding a mass of yellow disc florets, the flowers being displayed in an open spray formation on strong stems and, when grown as a pot plant, being surrounded by abundant small to medium sized foliage on a relatively short and compact plant which requires no growth retardants. This plant enjoys a uniform 7-week response when flowered under photoperiod control at any time of the year.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

This chrysanthemum plant was discovered by me in 1972 as a seedling ofunidentified parentage growing among random pollinated plants of theoutdoor garden type in my breeding grounds at Westfield-Working, Surrey,England, and because of its apparently advantageous floral and growthcharacteristics, I propagated this plant at my aforesaid breedinggrounds by cuttings from the original plant. My observations of thecultivar so produced indicated that the distinctive characteristics ofthe original plant had been retained and successive generations of thecultivar, propagated by vegetative cuttings at Westfield-Woking, Surrey,England, have demonstrated that these characteristics are firmly fixed.Also, extensive testing of this cultivar for greenhouse potted plantculture as well as for use as an outdoor garden plant has shown thisplant to have commercial merit and as a result, this plant is now beingpropagated by vegetative cuttings and grown at West Chicago, Ill., andat Cortez, Fla., with favorable results.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new chrysanthemum plant is illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, the first of which is a full color photographic print showinga potted plant of the new variety in full bloom, the colors shown beingas nearly true as it is reasonably possible to obtain by conventionalphotographic procedures, the photograph being of a plant propagated andgrown at West Chicago, Ill., and flowered in February 1977. The seconddrawing is a mechanical print of a photocopy of typical leaves of thenew plant taken at several stages of maturity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

The following is a detailed description of my new chrysanthemum cultivarwith color designations according to the R.H.S. Colour Chart publishedby The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England, the statedobservations having been made of plants growing at West Chicago, Ill.

THE PLANT

Origin: Seedling.

Parentage: Unidentified, this plant having been found among randompollinated plants of similar varieties.

Classification:

Botanic.--Chrysanthemum morifolium.

Commercial.--Greenhouse pot plant and outdoor garden chrysanthemum.

Form: Perennial herbaceous bush.

Height: 6 to 10 inches as a pot plant. 16 to 21 inches as an outdoorgarden plant.

Growth: Terminal, vigorous and upright with good strength andsturdiness.

Branching: Normal under natural conditions.

Foliage: Quantity -- Abundant, with four to seven leaves per 3 inches ofstem.

Leaf size.--Length.--About 13/8 to 31/2 inches. Width -- About 1/2 to17/8 inches. Shape: Lanceolate, lobed and deeply serrated. Color: Upperside -- Yellow-Green 147A. Under side -- Yellow-Green 147B. SurfaceTexture: Canescent. Venation: Pinnately veined.

Petioles.--About 1/4 to 11/16 inch long.

THE BUD

Form: Globular.

Size:

Diameter.--About 1/4 to 5/16 inch.

Depth.--About 3/16 to 3/8 inch.

Opening: The bud opens slowly.

Color:

When phyllaries first divide.--Yellow-Green 144A.

when florets begin to unfurl.--Greyed-Red 179A and 181A.

Phyllaries: Many in number, as involucral bracts borne on the outside ofthe receptacle.

Form.--Spear-shaped and upstanding.

Color.--Inside surface -- Yellow-Green 146C. Outside surface --Yellow-Green 147B.

surface texture.--Pubescent.

Peduncle: Length -- About 3/8 to 13/8 inches.

Surface texture.--Pubescent.

Strength.--Erect and strong.

Color.--Yellow-Green 148B.

THE FLOWER

Blooming Capability: This plant can be flowered the year around withphotoperiod control.

Response.--7 weeks.

Recommended flowering.--March 1 to November 1 as a pot plant.

Natural season flowering.--About September 26 to October 9.

Blooms:

Flower type.--Composite and single.

Size of bloom.--Medium. Diameter -- 15/8 to 21/2 inches. Depth -- 3/8 to1/2 inch. Shape: Flat. The shape does not change. Borne: Singly, as ahead of many florets carried by a receptacle in an open spray formation.

Florets.--Quantity -- Numerous. Form: Generally linear with an obtuseapex, the ray floret tips being predominantly spoon-shaped. Arrangement:Decorative, with the ray florets in two or three rows radiating from thedisc. Texture: Medium firm. Appearance: Very slight shine.Discoloration: Considerable fade after full bloom.

    ______________________________________                                        Color:     March    April     October                                                                              November                                 ______________________________________                                        Outer Florets:                                                                Upper side 171A     31A,34B    24A   171A                                                         34C,170A                                                  Reverse    173A     31B,34C   167C   171C                                                         35A,35B                                                   ______________________________________                                    

disc florets. --Center--144A. Perimeter --17A.

note: Upon very close examination, it will be seen that occasionallysome ray florets will show faint yellow-brown longitudinal streaks inthe orange-bronze coloring.

General color tonality of bloom.--171B when viewed from a distance of 6feet.

Effect of weather: This plant is not affected by hot or wet weather.

Persistence: The florets hang on and dry.

Fragrance: Typical chrysanthemum.

Lasting quality:

On the plant.--3 weeks.

As cut flower.--Not recommended for cut flower use.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens: Number -- 5. Arrangement -- Syngenesious.

Filaments.--1/16 to 1/8 inch long. Color: Light Yellow.

Pollen.--Color -- Yellow.

Pistils: Number -- One to each ray and disc floret.

Styles.--1/8 to 3/16 inch long.

Stigmas.--Color -- Yellow.

Ovaries: Inferior bicarpellate.

This new chrysanthemum cultivar is particularly distinguished by theburnt orange coloring of the ray florets and the contrasting yellowcolor of the disc florets of the medium sized blooms, and by thespoon-tipped form of most, if not all, of the ray florets. The bloomsare single and presented in an open spray formation with strong stemsand moderate pollen production. As a potted plant, this cultivar has auniform 7-week periodic flowering response and excellent performance asa spring, summer and fall 4 to 5 inch potted plant. The performance ofthis cultivar as a natural season garden chrysanthemum is alsoexcellent. This plant has abundant foliage of small to medium sizedleaves, and as a pot plant, it has a relatively short and compact planthabit which requires no growth retardants.

I claim:
 1. The new and distinct chrysanthemum cultivar substantially asherein shown and described, characterized by the burnt orange and yellowcoloring of its medium sized blooms which appear singly on strong stemsin an open spray formation, by its uniform 7-week photoperiodicflowering response for greenhouse pot plant culture, and by itsexcellent performance as a spring, summer and fall potted plant and as anatural season garden chrysanthemum.